Door movement system for cabinet

Abstract

A system for opening and closing a door within a cabinet is provided. The system includes a motor in communication with a controller to automatically open and close a door. A first plate fixed to the motor shaft to rotate with rotation of the motor shaft, the plate comprises a slot disposed therein. A first leg extends from a door that extends through the slot. A second leg extends from the door. A first sensor moves based upon rotation of the motor shaft, wherein the first sensor can detect relative motion between the motor shaft and the door, wherein when the motor shaft is rotated in the second direction and the first sensor detects relative motion between the motor shaft and the door, the first sensor sends a signal to the controller, wherein upon receipt of the signal the first sensor discontinues sending the second signal to the motor.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for opening and closing a door within a cabinet, comprising:
 a motor assembly disposed upon one or more walls of a cabinet, the motor assembly comprising a motor with a motor shaft, an inner plate fixed to the motor shaft and a rigid plate, wherein the rigid plate is fixed to one of the one or more walls of the cabinet, the motor in communication with a controller wherein the motor is configured to rotate the motor shaft in a first direction upon receipt of a first signal from the controller and the motor is configured to rotate the motor shaft in a second direction upon receipt of a second signal from the controller, wherein rotation of the motor shaft in the first direction causes a door to move in a direction associated with transferring the door from a closed position toward an open position and wherein rotation of the motor shaft in the second direction causes the door to move in a direction associated with transferring the door from the open position toward the closed position; 
 wherein the inner plate is fixed to the motor shaft to rotate with rotation of the motor shaft, the inner plate comprises a slot disposed therein; 
 a first leg extends from the door and extends through the slot; 
 a second leg extends from the door and extends through a second slot in the rigid plate; 
 a safety sensor that moves based upon rotation of the motor shaft, wherein the safety sensor is fixed to an outer plate fixed to the motor shaft to rotate with rotation of the motor shaft such that the safety sensor moves in an arc with a circumference of the outer plate, wherein the safety sensor can detect relative motion between the motor shaft and the door by engaging the second leg when there is relative motion between the motor shaft and the door, wherein when the motor shaft is rotated in the second direction and the safety sensor detects relative motion between the motor shaft and the door, the safety sensor sends a signal to the controller, wherein upon receipt of the signal the controller discontinues sending the second signal to the motor, 
 wherein the safety sensor includes a tongue that extends in a cantilevered manner therefrom and engages the second leg, wherein when the safety sensor moves with respect to the second leg, the tongue mechanically engages an input component in the safety sensor, wherein engagement of the input component causes the safety sensor to detect the relative motion between the motor shaft and the door and send the signal to the controller. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a door rotatably mounted to the one or more walls of the cabinet, and capable of being moved between the open and closed positions with rotation of the motor shaft. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the motor shaft includes a first portion that extends in a first direction from a motor housing and is fixed to the inner plate, the motor shaft includes a second portion that extends in an opposite second direction from the motor housing and is fixed to the outer plate. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first door position sensor and a second door position sensor, wherein the first door position sensor is configured to identify and send a signal to the controller when the door is in or is in close proximity to the closed position, and the second door position sensor is configured to identify and send a signal to the controller when the door is in or is in close proximity to the open position, wherein the second leg moves with respect to the first door position sensor and the second door position sensor and engagement between the second leg and the first door position sensor and the second door position sensor causes the respective first door position sensor and second door position sensor to identify and send the respective signal. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , wherein when the first door position sensor identifies the door is in or is in close proximity to the closed position, the controller is configured to send the first signal to the motor and is configured to not send the second signal to the motor. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , wherein when the second door position sensor identifies the door is in or is in close proximity to the open position, the controller is configured to send the second signal to the motor and is configured to not send the first signal to the motor. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement of the first leg within the slot allows the motor shaft to move between about 10 to 20 degrees of rotation with respect to the door. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a spring disposed between the inner plate and the door to urge engagement between the first leg and a first end of the slot due to a biasing force of the spring, wherein when the motor is rotated in second direction and the door is prevented from rotating, the first leg slides within the slot toward the opposite second end of the slot and against the biasing force of the spring, and wherein with continued rotation of the motor shaft in the second direction, the second leg applies a force to the tongue of the safety sensor which moves the tongue into engagement with and to apply a force to the input component of the safety sensor. 
     
     
       9. A cabinet with a plurality of storage compartments, comprising:
 a housing comprising a plurality of walls that define two or more compartments to receive items therein, 
 two or more doors that are rotatably mounted to the housing with the plurality of doors selectively enclosing or opening the respective two or more compartments; 
 two or more motor assemblies each operably connected between one or more of the plurality of walls and a respective door, wherein each motor assembly comprises:
 a motor with a motor shaft, the motor disposed upon the one or more of the plurality of walls, the motor in communication with a controller wherein the motor is configured to rotate the motor shaft in a first direction upon receipt of a first signal from the controller and the motor is configured to rotate the motor shaft in a second direction upon receipt of a second signal from the controller, wherein rotation of the motor shaft in the first direction causes the respective door to move in a direction associated with transferring the door from a closed position toward an open position and wherein rotation of the motor shaft in the second direction causes the door to move in a direction associated with transferring the door from the open position toward the closed position; 
 an inner plate fixed to the motor shaft to rotate with rotation of the motor shaft, the inner plate comprises a slot disposed therein; 
 a first leg extends from the respective door ad extends through the slot; 
 a second leg extends from the respective door; 
 a rigid plate fixed to one of the plurality of walls, the rigid plate comprising a second slot through which the second leg extends; 
 a safety sensor that moves based upon rotation of the motor shaft, wherein the safety sensor is fixed to an outer plate fixed to the motor shaft to rotate with rotation of the motor shaft such that the safety sensor moves in an arc with a circumference of the outer plate, wherein the first safety sensor can detect relative motion between the motor shaft and the door by engaging the second leg when there is relative motion between the motor shaft and the door, wherein the first safety sensor can detect relative motion between the motor shaft and the respective door, wherein when the motor shaft is rotated in the second direction and the first safety sensor detects relative motion between the motor shaft and the door, the first safety sensor sends a signal to the controller, wherein upon receipt of the signal the controller discontinues sending the second signal to the motor, 
 wherein the safety sensor within each of the plurality of motor assemblies includes a tongue that extends in a cantilevered manner therefrom and engages the second leg, wherein when the safety sensor moves with respect to the second leg, the tongue mechanically engages an input component in the safety sensor, wherein engagement of the input component causes the safety sensor to detect the relative motion between the motor shaft and the door and send the signal to the controller. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein when the controller receives the signal from the safety sensor after detecting relative motion between the motor shaft and the respective door, the controller sends the first signal to the motor to cause the motor shaft to rotate in the first direction to move the respective door toward the open position. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the motor shaft includes a first portion that extends in a first direction from a motor housing and is fixed to the inner plate, the motor shaft includes a second portion that extends in an opposite second direction from the motor housing and is fixed to the outer plate. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 9 , wherein each of the two or more motor assemblies comprises a first door position sensor and a second door position sensor that are each fixed to one or more of the plurality of walls, wherein the first door position sensor is configured to identify and send a signal to the controller when the door is in or is in close proximity to the closed position, and the second door position sensor is configured to identify and send a signal to the controller when the door is in or is in close proximity to the open position, wherein the second leg moves with respect to the first door position sensor and the second door position sensor and engagement between the second leg and the first door position sensor and the second door position sensor causes the respective sensor to identify and send the respective signal. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein when first door position sensor identifies the door is in or is in close proximity to the closed position, the controller is configured to send the first signal to the motor and is configured to not send the second signal to the motor. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein when the second door position sensor identifies the door is in or is in close proximity to the open position, the controller is configured to send the second signal to the motor and is configured to not send the first signal to the motor. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 9 , wherein each of the two or more doors has a top portion that forms a top edge and a bottom portion that forms a bottom edge, wherein the housing comprises two or more of openings within the plurality of walls that allow communication into the respective two or more compartments, wherein each of the two or more openings include a top portion that includes a top edge and bottom portion upon which the bottom portion of the respective door rests when the respective door is in the closed position,
 wherein when the door is in the closed position the top edge of the door is spaced from the top edge of the opening, and wherein the door is spaced from the top edge of the opening throughout the range of motion of the door between the closed position and the open position. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the space between the top edge of the door and the top edge of the opening is at least 0.75 inches when the door is in the closed position and is at least 0.75 inches throughout the range of motion of the door between the closed position and the open position. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 9 , wherein each of the two or more compartments each comprise a sensing system disposed therein, wherein the sensing system identifies when items are disposed within the respective compartment and when items are not disposed within the respective compartment, wherein the sensing system sends a signal to the controller based upon whether or not items are disposed within the respective compartment. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17 , wherein when the door associated with the respective compartment is in the open position and when the controller receives the signal from the sensing system to identify that items are disposed within the compartment the controller maintains the respective door in the open position, wherein when the controller receives the signal from the sensing system to identify that there are no items disposed within the respective compartment, the controller waits a preset time after receipt of the signal that there are no items disposed within the respective compartment and then the controller causes the motor assembly associated with the respective door and compartment to transfer the respective door from the open position to the closed position. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the sensing system includes a receiver and a transmitter that are disposed upon opposite walls of the plurality of walls that define the respective compartment, wherein the transmitter sends a light beam across an interior volume of the respective compartment that is directed toward the receiver, and wherein the sensing system identifies that there are no items disposed within the respective compartment when the light beam is received by the receiver, and the sensing system identifies that there are items disposed within the respective compartment when the collector does not receive the light beam. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a spring disposed between the inner plate and the door to urge engagement between the first leg and a first end of the slot due to a biasing force of the spring, wherein when the motor is rotated in second direction and the door is prevented from rotating, the first leg slides within the slot toward the opposite second end of the slot and against the biasing force of the spring, and wherein with continued rotation of the motor shaft in the second direction, the second leg applies a force to the tongue of the safety sensor which moves the tongue into engagement with and to apply a force to the input component of the safety sensor. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 20 , further comprising a spring disposed between the first plate and the door to urge engagement between the first leg and a first end of the slot due to a biasing force of the spring, wherein when the motor is rotated in second direction and the door is prevented from rotating, the first leg slides within the slot toward the opposite second end of the slot and against the biasing force of the spring, and wherein with continued rotation of the motor shaft in the second direction, the second leg applies a force to the tongue of the first sensor which moves the tongue into engagement with and to apply a force to the input component of the first sensor.